The present invention relates to a respiratory protection system. In particular, the invention concerns a waist-mounted respiratory component system including a decontaminatible belt for supporting a respiratory component. The belt is ergonomically designed for improved comfort and support to a user.
Fan-forced positive pressure breathing apparatus, commonly known as Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), and other respiratory components are used by first responders (HazMat, police, fire, and civil defense), military or other emergency response units to manage hazardous respiratory exposure. These respirators are also generally used in industrial applications, where the environmental hazards are well defined and quantified. Respiratory hazards might include harmful gases, vapors, and particulate matter. Respirators include a breathing mask, or other suitable hood, helmet or headtop, having a filtered air inlet. Respirators are employed to continually supply positive pressure to the wearer's mask. The filtered supplied air replenishes the internal confines of the mask and is continually ejected.
Respirators are currently typically attached to a belt threaded through slots in the back of the respiratory component, where the belt is formed from a relatively narrow strip (e.g., 2 inches) of stitched webbing. The responder wears the belt carrying the respirator around his or her waist and the load is normally attached to the rear of the belt. In addition to carrying the respirator, the responder also wears or carries additional equipment, such as a hood, protective clothing, and protective footwear, some of which may also be attached to the belt.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a user 10 and FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the user's lower spine and pelvis. A lower part of a user's back, a lumbar component 12 of a vertebral column 14 (i.e., spine), strengthens in response to weight bearing and works in concert with a pelvis 16, and in particular a hip 18, to carry the load of the upper body. When a load is carried by the user, such as on the shoulders, back, or hip, it is critical to carry the load in such a manner so as not to over stress the individual's back. This is especially important when loads of a repetitive nature, such as might be found in a workplace, are experienced.
The user, when postured in a relaxed upright stance, (shown in FIG. 1) as one might stand on a factory floor, causes the spine 14 and the hip 18 to orient in a definable way, defining a sacral angle 20. The sacral angle 20 is the inclined angle that occurs between an imaginary place 22 that horizontally transverses the hip 18 and a plane 24 aligned with the top of a sacrum 26, a lower portion of the spine 14. For weight bearing purposes, an optimum sacral angle 20 is one that minimizes stress on both the ligaments and the muscles of the lower back. From a biomechanical standpoint an optimum sacral angle 20 is generally considered to be about 30 degrees. A sacral angle 20 less than 30 degrees is caused when the pelvis 16 is rotated back (e.g., in direction of arrow 17); this orientation can place undue stress on the ligaments of the spine 14. In contrast, a sacral angle 20 greater than 30 degrees occurs when the pelvis 16 is rotated forward (e.g., in direction of arrow 19), creating a posture that stresses the muscularity of the back.
When a device is worn around a user's waist for the purposes of load carrying, it is important that the weight be properly displaced between the hip 18 and the spine 14 and that an optimum posture, as defined by the sacral angle 20, be promoted.
To provide a comfortable and supportive fit, the belt must be held tightly against the wearer's body. Wearing a typical webbing belt with an attached respiratory component around a wearer's waist does not position the respiratory component firmly and rigidly against the wearer's body. Improper positioning of the load of the respiratory component on a wearer's back does not provide efficient distribution and transfer of loads to the user's skeletal frame, and the user discomfort and fatigue results. With the respiratory component load placed to the rear of the belt, the front of the belt tugs in a rearward direction on the front of the belt creating an uncomfortable and unnecessary force on the lower abdominal muscles.
Belts formed from a strip of material are not easily adaptable to a variety of user body types, although the belt may be adaptable with regard to girth generally. Persons with exaggerated or minimal protrusions at the stomach or buttocks area require adjustable width and length of the belt to address the variances in their anatomy.
In use, the respiratory component is generally exposed to hazardous environments, which causes contamination to the belt. While some materials and surfaces are readily decontaminatible, others such as stitched fabric or webbing are difficult to decontaminate. Existing fabric belts and straps are difficult to effectively clean because debris and toxins may become trapped in the fabric and/or stitching so as to resist removal and require costly cleaning procedures. Discarding contaminated equipment is costly and not desirable. Therefore, responders desire a belt that can be decontaminatible after each use, so that it can be reused.
There exists a need for a waist-mounted respiratory protection system that is decontaminatible and provides improved comfort and stability. The belt should be relatively inexpensive and adaptable to a variety of wearers. The belt should facilitate easy decontamination of the respiratory protection system and an anatomically correct fit for a variety of user body types.